Daily Herald expanded football Top 20

First and 10

1. Hersey (7-0) Beat Elk Grove 71-0 / Rolling Meadows

We’ve got a new No. 1 after Downers Grove North’s overtime loss last week. The Huskies got back to business after a forfeit win in Week 6. Kentucky-bound QB Jake Nawrot threw for 322 yards and six touchdowns while the defense notched their first shutout. Hersey’s 38-22 win over Carmel in Week 1 is the only game they have played closer than 33 points.

2. Prospect (7-0) Beat Wheeling 50-0 / at Buffalo Grove

One more week and the MSL matchup everyone has been anticipating all season will be here, undefeated Prospect hosting undefeated Hersey. Buffalo Grove is 5-2 and hoping to spoil an 8-0 vs. 8-0 game, but it won’t be easy by a long shot. Prospect has scored 50 or more points three straight weeks, and a 35-21 win over Fremd is the closest game the Knights have played.

3. Geneva (6-1) Beat Glenbard North 62-35 / Wheaton North

The Vikings followed a 56-point game against Batavia by putting 62 on the board last week. Wheaton North has given up the second fewest points of any DuKane Conference team, so we’ll see if the Falcons can slow Ben Peterson and company. Geneva can clinch a share of the conference crown with a win while the 5-2 Falcons try to snap a two-game losing streak.

4. Maine South (6-1) Beat Vernon Hills 49-8 / Evanston

Finally. After one lopsided win after another in Central Suburban League crossovers the past few weeks, the Hawks close the regular season with a pair of CSL South games against 5-2 Evanston and 5-2 Glenbrook South. It should help Maine South to be pushed heading into the playoffs and see how far it has come since a 49-35 loss to Batavia in Week 1.

5. Downers Grove North (6-1) Lost to York 18-17 (OT) / Lyons

The Trojans don’t get much time to recover from their first loss, getting 6-1 Lyons in a game with major conference implications. A win for the Trojans clinches no worse than a share of the Silver crown. Last week, Kevin Jay gave Downers Grove North a 17-10 lead in overtime, but the Dukes answered with a touchdown and then QB Zack Assaad found Anthony Massel for the winning two-point conversion.

6. IC Catholic Prep (7-0) Beat Benet 42-13 / Loyola

What a matchup between 7-0 teams Friday night in Elmhurt. The Knights are giving up five classes — their 3A to Loyola’s 8A — and about 2,500 students. But IC obviously has talent to play with anyone, those standouts including senior Jaden Penna who caught two touchdown passes and intercepted a pass in last week’s win.

7. Huntley (7-0) Beat Prairie Ridge 41-6 / Burlington Central

The Red Raiders continue to make things look easy in the Fox Valley, their season margin up to 348-53. Junior quarterback Malik Carter threw four more touchdowns last week, bringing his total to 18 with zero interceptions. He’s also completed 81 of 102 passes, just under an unheard of 80%. The Rockets have won three straight since narrow losses to Cary-Grove and Jacobs.

8. Glenbard West (5-2) Beat Hinsdale Central 42-24 / York

Thanks to York’s upset over Downers Grove North last week, the Hilltoppers are back in the West Suburban Silver race, tied with the Trojans and Lyons with one loss. Glenbard West did its part last week, cruising past a Red Devils team that came in a roll. Now the Hilltoppers get another team coming off a huge win.

9. Montini (5-2) Beat De La Salle 56-7 / Marmion

The Broncos’ 49-point win last week snapped a string of five straight one-score games. Israel Abrams hit wide receiver Damacio Ortegon with a pair of long touchdown passes helping Montini build a 42-0 halftime lead. The Broncos close the season against familiar foes Marmion and St. Francis before they start their quest for a third straight state championship.

10. Batavia (5-2) Beat Wheaton North 28-21 / at St. Charles East

After throwing for 247 yards in a typically hard-fought game with Wheaton North, Michael Vander Luitgaren has gone over 2,000 yards passing. The Wyoming recruit is at 2,048 yards with 24 touchdowns while adding 504 rushing yards and 10 scores. Darin Ashiru was his favorite target last week with 100 receiving yards while Gavin McKelvie led the defense with 11 tackles.

Second and 10

11. Antioch (7-0) Beat Grayslake North 48-7 / at North Chicago

12. Wheaton Warrenville South (5-2) Beat St. Charles North 35-7 / Lake Park

13. Naperville North (6-1) Beat DeKalb 42-14 / at Neuqua Valley

14. Wheaton North (5-2) Lost to Batavia 28-21 / at Geneva

15. Fremd (5-2) Lost to Hoffman Estates 7-6 / Barrington

16. York (4-3) Beat Downers Grove North 18-17 (OT) / at Glenbard West

17. Wauconda (7-0) Beat Grayslake Central 63-20 / Grant

18. Hinsdale Central (4-3) Lost to Glenbard West 42-24 / Proviso West

19. Jacobs (6-1) Beat Crystal Lake Central 41-6 / at Dundee-Crown

20: Libertyville (5-2) Beat Mundelein 21-0 / Lake Zurich